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With just three months to go until her second baby arrives, Stacey Solomon looks every inch the blossoming mum-to-be with her tiny, neat bump and excited eyes.

But the singer and TV presenter is nervous, too. Because last time, when she had her son Zach at just 18, things didn’t go quite as smoothly as the star would have liked.

Zach, who is now three, was unplanned. And after discovering her pregnancy late at five months gone, having a termination didn’t seem like an option.

She endured an excruciating 37-hour labour and faced a daunting future bringing the baby up on her own when she split with Zach’s dad.

And that wasn’t even the worst of it. Essex girl Stacey, 22, who shot to fame on The X Factor, struggled for months to bond with her new son and also reportedly suffered from post-natal depression.

And it’s a repeat of this in particular that she’s desperately hoping won’t happen with baby number two.

“I’m nervous this time round,” she admits. “I remember what it was like. Everyone says you forget, but not really.

"But the thing is, even if it does happen again, at least now I know that eventually it will be fine.

"That’s why it’s OK. No matter how I feel this time round, I know in the end it will be unbelievable.”

Now absolutely smitten with her little boy, devoted mum Stacey vividly remembers the guilt and confusion she felt in the months after he was born.

“People describe these things in such an exaggerated way, like everything’s always perfect,” she says.

“It’s like as soon as you give birth you should have these overwhelming feelings like ‘That’s it, I’m so happy, my life is suddenly perfect’.

“I didn’t have that. And if you don’t, you feel terrible and wonder what’s wrong with you. It’s not nice. I hope that one day, please God if I have a daughter, I can tell her things aren’t straightforward.

"That maybe those feelings won’t come to her straightaway, but eventually they will. It might just take a bit longer

“Whenever one of my friends gets pregnant, everyone describes this perfect thing and they say ‘Oh don’t worry about giving birth, just think of you and your baby afterwards’.

“I feel like turning round and saying ‘It’s horrendous, it hurts!’

“For me, it took a few months to really bond with Zach. After I finished breast-feeding I found my feet and things just clicked into place.

"I’m not going to label myself about what happened, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It just shows you don’t have to be on medication or whatever, you can get through it on your own.

“But I think it’s good to understand that not everyone feels the same when they have their babies.

"I felt so guilty about it. I felt terrible. But everyone’s different and if you don’t get that happy glow straightaway, it’s OK.”

This time round, with fiance Aaron Barnham at her side, Stacey is much more relaxed about being pregnant. “It’s completely different,” she says.

“I don’t know if the pregnancy is actually any different really, but I feel completely different. I suppose it’s partly because I know what’s coming and the last time I didn’t have a clue.

“And mind-wise I feel good. I’m ready and settled and I’ve got my lovely home and my little boy. I’m excited. Aaron is over the moon, too. I’ve never seen him so excited about anything in my life.

“But I was so nervous even just telling him I was pregnant. Obviously with my ex it was a bit different. Aaron is so happy and this time expecting a baby is completely different because I know I actually want to spend the rest of my life with him. It’s a much better situation now.”

Stacey and Zach’s father Dean Cox split shortly after the baby was born, and while Dean has been part of his son’s life, Aaron has also been involved right from the start. The couple met on holiday in Greece just months after Zach was born.

“Aaron is unbelievable with Zach,” says Stacey. “The funny thing is, we don’t want to say that this one is his first baby, because he’s been here practically since Zach was born so to him, this one is his second child. He is perfect.

“And we want a big family. I’m one of seven, number five with two behind me – I have to count! I’ve got two little brothers, two older brothers and two older sisters. I don’t know if I could make it to seven, but I’ll give it a go to have three or four or five.

“You’ve got to live within your means!”

Engaged to painter Aaron since December after he proposed to her during a romantic carriage ride around New York’s Central Park, Stacey is excited about laying down plans for her big day once the baby arrives.

“We want to get married next summer,” she grins. “I’d like to have both my lovely children there, walking up the aisle, please God. I wouldn’t think about going away, it’ll have to be England because all our family will want to be there.

“I’ve got a massive family and we’re both from Essex so it’s got to be near home.

“I’ve thought of some of the details – the bridesmaids will have to be my sisters of course, and also my best friends so there will be a few! And I wouldn’t do a magazine deal.

“It’s only because I’d like to get drunk and have a really good time without worrying about what I look like. Obviously I’ll want to look nice at the actual wedding bit, but then I want to relax! Otherwise I’d be ­ self-conscious all day.

Stacey Solomon is nervous about second child after traumatic first childbirth

With just three months to go, Stacey Solomon looks every inch the blossoming mum-to-be with her tiny, neat bump and excited eyes

Pregnant: Stacey Solomon

With just three months to go until her second baby arrives, Stacey Solomon looks every inch the blossoming mum-to-be with her tiny, neat bump and excited eyes.

But the singer and TV presenter is nervous, too. Because last time, when she had her son Zach at just 18, things didn’t go quite as smoothly as the star would have liked.

Zach, who is now three, was unplanned. And after discovering her pregnancy late at five months gone, having a termination didn’t seem like an option.

She endured an excruciating 37-hour labour and faced a daunting future bringing the baby up on her own when she split with Zach’s dad.

And that wasn’t even the worst of it. Essex girl Stacey, 22, who shot to fame on The X Factor, struggled for months to bond with her new son and also reportedly suffered from post-natal depression.

And it’s a repeat of this in particular that she’s desperately hoping won’t happen with baby number two.

“I’m nervous this time round,” she admits. “I remember what it was like. Everyone says you forget, but not really.

"But the thing is, even if it does happen again, at least now I know that eventually it will be fine.

"That’s why it’s OK. No matter how I feel this time round, I know in the end it will be unbelievable.”

In the jungle: Stacey won I'm A Celebrity...Rex Features

Now absolutely smitten with her little boy, devoted mum Stacey vividly remembers the guilt and confusion she felt in the months after he was born.

“People describe these things in such an exaggerated way, like everything’s always perfect,” she says.

“It’s like as soon as you give birth you should have these overwhelming feelings like ‘That’s it, I’m so happy, my life is suddenly perfect’.

“I didn’t have that. And if you don’t, you feel terrible and wonder what’s wrong with you. It’s not nice. I hope that one day, please God if I have a daughter, I can tell her things aren’t straightforward.

"That maybe those feelings won’t come to her straightaway, but eventually they will. It might just take a bit longer.

X Factor: Stacey rose to prominence on the showITV

“Whenever one of my friends gets pregnant, everyone describes this perfect thing and they say ‘Oh don’t worry about giving birth, just think of you and your baby afterwards’.

“I feel like turning round and saying ‘It’s horrendous, it hurts!’

“For me, it took a few months to really bond with Zach. After I finished breast-feeding I found my feet and things just clicked into place.

"I’m not going to label myself about what happened, but I don’t think it’s a bad thing. It just shows you don’t have to be on medication or whatever, you can get through it on your own.

“But I think it’s good to understand that not everyone feels the same when they have their babies.

"I felt so guilty about it. I felt terrible. But everyone’s different and if you don’t get that happy glow straightaway, it’s OK.”

Star is born: Stacey with X Factor judge Dannii MinogueITV

This time round, with fiance Aaron Barnham at her side, Stacey is much more relaxed about being pregnant. “It’s completely different,” she says.

“I don’t know if the pregnancy is actually any different really, but I feel completely different. I suppose it’s partly because I know what’s coming and the last time I didn’t have a clue.

“And mind-wise I feel good. I’m ready and settled and I’ve got my lovely home and my little boy. I’m excited. Aaron is over the moon, too. I’ve never seen him so excited about anything in my life.

“But I was so nervous even just telling him I was pregnant. Obviously with my ex it was a bit different. Aaron is so happy and this time expecting a baby is completely different because I know I actually want to spend the rest of my life with him. It’s a much better situation now.”

Stacey and Zach’s father Dean Cox split shortly after the baby was born, and while Dean has been part of his son’s life, Aaron has also been involved right from the start. The couple met on holiday in Greece just months after Zach was born.

“Aaron is unbelievable with Zach,” says Stacey. “The funny thing is, we don’t want to say that this one is his first baby, because he’s been here practically since Zach was born so to him, this one is his second child. He is perfect.

“And we want a big family. I’m one of seven, number five with two behind me – I have to count! I’ve got two little brothers, two older brothers and two older sisters. I don’t know if I could make it to seven, but I’ll give it a go to have three or four or five.

“You’ve got to live within your means!”

Loving: Stacey and Aaron Barham are engagedGetty

Engaged to painter Aaron since December after he proposed to her during a romantic carriage ride around New York’s Central Park, Stacey is excited about laying down plans for her big day once the baby arrives.

“We want to get married next summer,” she grins. “I’d like to have both my lovely children there, walking up the aisle, please God. I wouldn’t think about going away, it’ll have to be England because all our family will want to be there.

“I’ve got a massive family and we’re both from Essex so it’s got to be near home.

“I’ve thought of some of the details – the bridesmaids will have to be my sisters of course, and also my best friends so there will be a few! And I wouldn’t do a magazine deal.

“It’s only because I’d like to get drunk and have a really good time without worrying about what I look like. Obviously I’ll want to look nice at the actual wedding bit, but then I want to relax! Otherwise I’d be ­ self-conscious all day.